Around the Bloc: IMF Praises Ukraine’s Progress
But country must still implement a series of reforms before funds start to flow again.
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But country must still implement a series of reforms before funds start to flow again.
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Remote island locale beats out more well-known beaches in Italy, Spain, and Greece.
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The Balkan nation might become a full member by mid-2017.
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As Russia gears up for parliamentary elections this autumn, how can the country's embattled opposition and civil society offer a real contest to the Kremlin's "imitation democracy"?
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Fatmir Limaj, finally cleared of wartime crimes after 13 years, wants Kosovo authorities to pay for his days in jail.
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Economy is overly dependent on Chinese demand for copper, coal and other resources, critics of government policy argue.
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Social scientists often quote the idea of Max Weber that a symbol is not possible without social dialogue. Symbols may certainly fulfill the function of integration of certain groups and of strengthening their sense of belonging. But at the same time symbols may serve for the demonstration of power: So, they may deepen social and emotional insecurity of those against whom they are directed. In this article we deal with the painful experience of unfair discrimination that is linked to the “yellow star” – a yellow six-pointed star with the word “Jude” (German word for Jew) across the front in black which had to be used by Protectorate Jews after 1941. Already in 1939 the star as a symbol of discrimination had prescribed for Polish Jews.
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Particularly, it sets a basic typology of religious symbols and explains its meanings and dynamics. Similarly, it shows the secular alternative – symbols of secularism with latent sacred meaning. Finally, the author discusses the current relation between European secular majority and religious minority in context of the struggle for democracy, social as well as personal freedom and recent rise of extremism presented as religious.
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When the Vietnamese in the Czech Republic think about the function and importance of Buddhism for their own adaptation to the Czech environment, three basic levels have to be distinguished. First, in the Buddhist tradition ancestor worship and respect for previous generations is the basis for the extraordinary intergenerational solidarity, which can be seen in Vietnamese families. Secondly, Buddhism is evidently linked to a cult of wealth. We may see examples of rich members of the community who provide financial assistance to the establishment and operation of Buddhist temples. Thirdly, we can see signs that Buddhism serves as a tool of identification for members of the newly established national minority and unites them with the home country, i.e. the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
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The paper deals with the two main legal aspects concerning the buildings constructed and/ or used for religious purpuses (sacred buildings). The first aspect implies fundamental constitutional questoins concerning the relationship between constitutional freedom of religion and right to own and enjoy one’s property on one hand and the possible restrictions imposed by law on these constitutional rights and freedoms on the other hand. The second aspect covers selected questions of czech building law with the special regard to spacial planning, location, construction and usage of sacred buldings.
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The aim of this contribution titled The Report of The Public Defender of Rights on Muslim Headscarfs at Nursing College and Wearing of Religious Symbols in Educational Institutions is to analyse the “headscarf case” which the Public Defender of Rights dealt with at towards the end of the year 2013 and throughout the year 2014. As wide range of misleading information had appeared in the media, the author of the contribution attempts to clarify and put right certain related matters. Further, she deals with critical arguments of conclusions of the Public Defender of Rights.
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In this paper, we have analyzed cases concerning the wearing of religious symbols in public spaces. We have found that relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights may serve as a guide to national legislators who plan to restrict the use of religious symbols. The major problem is that national legislation has to be in compliance with the principles of legitimacy and proportionality. With respect to the situation in the Czech Republic we have reached at the conclusion that as there is no consistent and long-lasting tradition of secularism and no public debate which meets the requirements formulated by the European Court of Human Rights, a legislative ban on religious symbols in public spaces would not be in line with the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights.
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Despite the fact that current debate on the usage of religious symbols in Europe is focused primarily on Muslims and Muslim symbols, other religions including Judaism have been manifesting their faith through the use of religious symbols as well, albeit less apparently. In this contribution, first, the judicature of the European Court of Human Rights related to religious symbols will be explored.Then a brief overview of Jewish religious symbols as expressed by garments will be given. Finally, national legislature and judicature of national courts will be covered in relevant countries, including France and Germany.
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This article deals with the legal regulation of religious symbols in Germany. After a brief introduction, it focuses on two examples – wearing of muslim headscarves in schools and circumcision of boys from religious reasons. Both of these topics are much discussed and there has been significant development in the relevant legislation within the last few years – this trend is likely to continue in the future as well, which will be interesting to observe and research. The article is mainly based on analysis of judgments of german courts and legislation and describes the current situation in Germany after the release of the judgment of the German Constitutional Court dealing with teachers who wear headscarves at school and the new German act on male circumcision.
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The article seeks to give an introduction into the situation of the country‘s Muslim population and the history of Austria‘s contact with Islam. It also gives an overview over the legal framework regulating the construction of mosques and minarets in Austria, where the growth of the Muslim population and, consequently, their need of places to practice their religion, raises new questions. As in other European countries, projects to build visible mosques sometimes give rise to discussions in the population, often instrumentalized by specific political parties. Two Austrian Federal States have passed laws which, albeit they do not prohibit mosques and/or minarets explicitly, do contain clauses that could make the construction of Islamic buildings more difficult.
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The article focuses on the mapping of migration, and particularly of emigration, of our compatriots in the previous century. The issue is regarded from one aspect, namely reversed emigration, i.e. re-emigration and especially the right to it, i.e. the right of return. To simplify the presentation, it is divided into five parts: the period of the first republic, the time of the occupation of the Sudetenland by the German empire and the establishment of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia, the period of the return into the homeland after World War II, the period between 1944–1948, the period between 1948–1989, and the migration in the latest decades, i.e. after 1989. In connection therewith the issue of emigration, i.e. the state-approved departing from the Republic, is dealt with as well. Attention is further given to the issue of state citizenship that gradually became a prerequisite for the granting of a passport so that the homeland could be left and subsequently returned to lawfully. After 1948 the unauthorised crossing of the borders was criminalised and a new crime occurred, “Unauthorised departing from the territory of the Republic and disobedience of an order to return” (p. 40). The legal regulation gradually underwent certain change and the punishment was sometimes mitigated by a general pardon by the president of the Republic. Finally, the author considers the way in which the punishment was put into practice, i.e. how many persons emigrated, etc. This issue is naturally connected with the complicated issue of the permeability of the state borders, which gradually became completely closed and impassable for refugees in either direction. The change of the legal regulation came about after the 1989 revolution and the fall of the Iron Curtain.
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This paper draws attention to the particularities of a certificate determining the applicability of legal regulations that is issued in connection with the co-ordination of social security schemes in the Member States of the EU, EEA and Switzerland. More frequently than ever before does an employee perform services in two or more Member States at the same time, which might lead to neglecting the duty to notify the respective host and home state agencies operating social security schemes of this. The consequences are usually fatal; by issuing the respective certificate retrospectively, the applicability of a single legal order is determined and all compulsory social security payments shall be solely made to the social security insurance schemes thereof.
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The paper deals with the discrimination of Roma minority in the Czech education system and measures designed to improve the current situation. Despite the steps already implemented by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Roma children are still overrepresented in schools for children suffering from light mental illness. Therefore Ministry of Education plans to introduce a system of support measures available to all children who need them. In order to maximize the effect of support measures, it will be necessary to collect data concerning abilities of each pupil and their other characteristics and analyze which support measure is the most suitable for them. The authors describe examples of the programs aimed at the support of Roma children in education, namely remedial education and support of education in families, scholarships, leisure time activities or pre-primary education. Particular attention is paid to the experience of authors gained by teaching basics of law at summer school for young Roma musicians. The authors described their work and formulated principles which they believe to be essential for a successful work with Roma children and the youth. The principles are following: long-term nature of support, positive experience, trust, use of activities which are attractive for children and overcoming of prejudices at both sides. Finally, the authors also emphasize that the programmes should be based on personal experience of participants. In conclusion, the authors argue that through education it is possible to improve the position of the Roma minority in the Czech Republic.
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Fundamental rights and freedoms of national minorities and ethnic groups still have their place in society. This also relates to the status of the Roma minority. One of the issues debated in Slovakia is the criminality of members of that minority. This article deals with the broader context of the debate and discusses the specifics of the Roma minority and the causes of unwanted phenomena, such as unemployment, social status, low educational level, etc. It is the goal of each society to eliminate crime by action in a number of fields. In this article we mainly point at several measures of prevention, including preventive police activities, a project of Roma specialists in Slovakia and the project of Roma civil patrols.
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Relations between Germany and Namibia are still heavily influenced by colonialism. As part of the scramble for Africa in the 1880’s, the German Empire came to what is now Namibia and created German South-West Africa. Germany remained the colonial power of the territory until 1915. The period of colonial rule was marked by the genocides of the Hereros and the Namas tribes. This article focuses on the current political climate within Federal Republic Germany and how the nation is dealing with the difficulties of its colonial past. It is clear how strained relations are between the colonizer and the former colony. It should be noted that Germany has undertaken reconciliatory steps this year (which marks the 100th anniversary of the end of German rule over Namibia) in order to deal with its history.
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